I've Got a Secret
by Rykell
Summary: Greg is now engaged to Nick's former girlfriend...and she's pregnant...who's baby is it really? I'm bad at summaries, but this is not a gay mash-up, if u think Nick is hot and Greg is too, you'll like this.
1. Chapter 1

**I've Got A Secret**

43-year-old Nick Stokes leaned back against the mirrored wall of the elevator as he rode it up to the pent house apartment, 100 stories up, trying to ignore his reflection that surrounded him and swallow the bitterness that seemed to be creeping up his throat. He couldn't help but realize that this was all supposed to be his, he'd been part of her life long before she'd met Greg, he'd even gone as far as buying her a ring he'd been determined to place on her finger, yet that had all come crumbling down the night he'd made the mistake of introducing her to the lab geek with the frosted tips.

The elevator door dinged and the doors slid open to the foyer of the apartment, Nick's shoes clomping on the marble floors, echoing throughout the luxurious space. It was dark, except for the lights spilling in from the Vegas strip below them through the floor to ceiling windows, and unless he was imagining it, he swore the whole place emanated her lavender scent.

"Greg?" a melodic voice asked, startling Nick.

Nick glanced up to see 25-year-old Easton Mead standing in the living room just past the foyer, wearing only a pair of black boy-short panties and one of Greg's t-shirt's. Even in the minimal lighting Nick could see that her toned, tanned dancers legs went on for miles.

"Oh Nicky, it's you." He couldn't help but notice the flash of disappointment on her face that he wasn't Greg, but her full lips quickly turned up into a smile. She walked towards him, flipping a light switch and filling the foyer with a honey-coloured glow. She leaned in to hug him, her golden ponytail swaying slightly, releasing a small burst of her lavender shampoo, filling Nick's nostrils like a drug.

"Yeah, hey East, didn't mean to startle you," he apologized in his Texan drawl, quickly releasing her before the feel of her body on his again became too much for him to bear.

Her expression suddenly became one of concern, and she grabbed his wrist, forcing him to look into those endless ocean blue eyes of hers. "Greg's OK, right? Nothing happened?"

"Oh no, no, everyone's perfectly fine." Nick suddenly found his mind scrambling, trying to figure out a valid excuse as to why he'd shown up in the middle of the night shift at her apartment, knowing very well Greg was busy across town at another crime scene. He'd been several blocks down, assigned to a minor robbery at a liquor store where the cashier had been shot in the arm when he'd suddenly had the overwhelming urge to see her, smell her, feel her. "Uh, I was in the neighbourhood and Greg said he forgot his wallet, so I offered to pick it up."

Easton glanced at the table against the wall where her fiancé normally left his wallet, yet there was no sign of the worn black leather he'd carried with him for as long as she'd known him. "He probably left it in his locker." She watched Nick, aware he was having a hard time meeting her gaze. She knew he was lying, she knew him well enough for that.

She'd known him since she was a high-school senior and he'd been the CSI assigned to investigate the drugging death of one of her classmates at her senior prom. She'd been interviewed as a witness by him, and had melted the moment she'd looked into those heart-breaking eyes of his, seen his charismatic grin, heard his sexy Southern twang. They'd caused quite a scandal when they'd started dating a few months afterwards, with her just recently turning 18 and him being 36.

Not that Easton was a stranger to scandal. Her great-great grandfather had been one of the founding father's of the Vegas strip and the namesake of Nevada's Lake Mead and had passed on the family fortune through the generations, with her father now owning 3 of Vegas' most lucrative casino's. Easton, who had danced since she was 2, had also made a name for herself as a professional choreographer, working with everyone from the cast of Dancing with The Stars, to Justin Timberlake, The Pussycat Dolls and Michael Jackson.

"Nicky, what's the matter?" She let her hand trail down his arm, ending at his hand, pulling teasingly on one of his fingers.

"I just felt like I needed to see you," he admitted with a sheepish shrug of his broad shoulders. He finally looked up, locking onto her gaze. Before he knew what was going on, he leaned in and met her lips with his, kissing her slowly at first, then more urgently, his tongue hungrily probing hers as he put his hand to her cheek, pulling her closer. Surprisingly, she didn't resist, but instead her hands griped the back of his neck, her fingers digging through his short, dark hair.

He trailed kisses down from her forehead, down the bridge of her nose, across her cheeks and down her elegant neck, trying to remember every last detail of her. He wrapped one arm around her waist, the other made it's way up to her handful of a breast, his thumb rubbing the nipple underneath the threadbare fabric of Greg's college t-shirt that she was wearing until it popped, leaving a perfect little bump.

"Nick," her voice came from beneath his lips. She wasn't pulling away from him, but she wasn't returning his passion anymore. "Nick, I can't do this to Greg."

Nick surrendered her from his arms, taking a step back, trying to put himself under control. "You're right. I just can't stop thinking about you, East."

Easton's expression was hard to read. "I just can't do this to Greg." Now she was the one who was having a hard time meeting his gaze. "_We_ can't do this to Greg." She fiddled with the 3-stone, princess cut engagement ring on her left hand, finally looking up at him long enough for him to notice tears glistening in her eyes.

"I just need you one more time." Before either had a chance to say anything, Nick wrapped both arms around her, attacking her lips, pressing his pelvis against her, backing her into the living room. With no protest from her, he lifted her shirt over her head in one fluid motion, barely taking his lips from hers, smiling slightly at the way the moonlight made her skin glow, making her almost seem angelic. He took one of her now naked breasts into his mouth, sucking her nipple like a hungry infant, revelling in the feeling of it growing hard and pink between his lips.

She tugged his CSI vest off and feverishly untucked his shirt from his pants, tracing her fingers down the hot skin of his muscular torso. She tugged at his fly as she pulled his shirt off, freeing his erection from his boxer-briefs and wrapping her hand around his length.

Nick slid a hand down the back of her panties, giving her toned ass a squeeze as he pushed the panties down. She was now fully nude and more beautiful then ever and he slid a hand down between her legs, feeling her wet heat as he teased a finger inside of her. She groaned appreciatively as she writhed under his touch and he pressed her back up against one of the floor to ceiling windows. Kicking his pants off the rest of the way, he slid himself into her, appreciating how they still seemed to fit together like 2 pieces of a puzzle, her tightness wrapped snugly around his penis.

"Oh Nicky," she murmured as he slowly began to thrust inside of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing him in deeper, an invitation he gladly accepted. As he fucked her, he flicked her now perky nipples with his tongue and she dragged her fingers down his back, not caring in the least that her naked body was pressed against the glass pane for all the world to see.

He knew he wasn't going to be able to hold back for long, he'd never been able to with her, she just had that effect on him. As if reading his mind she brought a finger to her clit, twiddling it, knowing it would help to bring her to the end just that much quicker. As he began to feel her walls clench around him, she moaned as wave after of wave of pleasure flowed through her and Nick struggled to hold his balance as he released his seed into her, feeling her grow limp as her orgasm came to a standstill. He carried her over to the couch, still inside her, and fell with her onto the cool, cream coloured leather. He couldn't help but notice her staring at the framed picture of her and Greg on the coffee table beside them.

"He doesn't have to know," Nick said, climbing off of her and finding his pants and boxers on the floor, pulling them on. Now instead of the bitterness, all Nick could feel was guilt. Sure, Easton had been his girl, but she was Greg's now, and Nick knew they loved each other. What had he been thinking showing up like this?

"I know." Easton's voice was barely a whisper. She stood off the couch, finding her own clothes and pulling them on. "Nick, I think you should go."

He nodded, pulling on his last shoe, quickly scanning the room to make sure he had everything. He stood there awkwardly for a moment before taking a step towards her. He buried his face in her hair, kissing the top of her head. "If it means anything, East, I'm sorry."

She stood still for a moment, before finally giving him a tentative hug. "Its OK, Nick, it wasn't just you. Like you said, he doesn't have to know."


	2. Chapter 2

The music was pounding so loudly the walls shook, but she didn't care, it almost seemed to rumble the thoughts right out of her head, and she needed a clear mind right now. She could taste the salt on her lips from the sweat she was working up and her foot slid slightly on the polished dance studio floor, but Easton managed to keep herself steady.

"Nice moves, as always," a male voice commented. Easton glanced up, surprised to see 35-year-old Greg Sanders leaning against the door frame of her dance studio. She glanced at the clock on the wall and winced. Greg would've gotten off work over an hour ago and they always spent their mornings together, before she ran off to do her thing and he got some much needed sleep. He was still dressed in the jeans and vintage navy t-shirt he'd left for work in the evening before, but his feet were bare, shoved into the leather Havianna flip-flops he practically lived in on his off hours.

"Baby, I'm so sorry, I know…" Easton began, grabbing the remote and turning the stereo off just as the next song began.

Greg held up a hand to stop her. Easton expected him to be mad at her for not being there for some of the only time they really got to see each other, but instead he leaned down, his lips meeting hers. He tasted like spearmint toothpaste and Easton could smell lingering traces of his Diesel cologne.

"It's OK, I'm not really that tired anyways," he said when he finally pulled away after letting his lips linger ever so slightly.

Easton's lips tingled from his touch. She tugged her hair from it's ponytail, slicked back the hairs that had come loose, and pulled it back into its elastic. "How'd you know where I was?"

Greg chuckled and Easton felt her heart skip a beat as his lips turned up into their half-smirk. She didn't know what it was about him, but he turned her into an elated, giggly schoolgirl every time he was around. She didn't know what had come over her last night with Nick, but what had happened happened, and Easton didn't want Greg finding out, she'd never forgive herself for hurting him like that. It had been a one time thing, a little trip down memory lane, nothing else, she'd told herself that over and over after Nick had left last night.

"Well, I figured since it's only eight o'clock in the morning and you failed to be at home when I got off work that there was only one thing you'd blow me off for…" Greg said. He rested his hands on her hips, gliding one finger across her ribs just below her sports bra. It sent chills down Easton's spine. "Dancing."

Easton let him touch her, loving the way his smooth hands felt on her body. He roped his long fingers behind her neck and pulled her lips to him, sucking on her bottom lip slightly as his tongue tangled with hers.

"Raleigh isn't in yet, is she?" Greg whispered into her ear coyly, inquiring about Easton's best friend and fellow choreographer who helped Easton run her dance studio.

"No, she's on tour with Rihanna right now," Easton answered, giggling slightly as Greg's fingers toyed with her belly-button piercing.

Greg wiggled his eyebrows at her and pulled his t-shirt over his head, throwing it across the room. "Well then, you know how much I love to make use of the mirrors in here." He pressed himself against her, sliding his hands up under her sports bra, groping at her breasts.

Easton rested her hand over his heart, feeling it beat, feeling the heat of his skin beneath her palm. She opened his jeans and put her hand in his boxers, feeling him grow hard within her grasp. She knelt down and took him into her mouth, juggling his balls slightly as she ran her lips down the length of him. He tugged at her hair gently, moaning at the feel good pleasure. He pulled her upright, kissing her hard and Easton arched her back in his arms and he pulled down her sports bra, freeing her breasts and depositing kisses around her nipples. She backed up with his arms still around her and stopped when she felt the table in the corner of the room press up against the back of her knees. She leaned back so she was lying flat on her back and Greg jerked her Lulu Lemon yoga pants off, pushing aside the crotch of her lacy purple boy shorts and dipping his tongue into her.

"I want you in me baby, I want you," she almost pleaded. She pulled him up on top of her and felt her breath catch in her throat as he entered her in one fluid motion, going as deep as he could. As he built up his rhythm he smothered her cries with his mouth, his hands molesting her breasts, sliding down her toned tummy, feeling her laboured breathing as she fought to hold back the orgasm she knew was only seconds away. She grabbed on to his butt, pushing him deep into her one last time so she could feel every inch of him, and he could feel her orgasm on every inch of himself.

Just as he began to feel her inner muscles crunch around him, he felt himself quiver with his own release and he slowed his thrusting, grinning down at her as he gave her one last kiss. "Well if that was an apology, then I accept. "

"Apologize? Why do I have to apologize? I didn't do anything wrong." Easton could suddenly feel herself growing defensive. She couldn't let him find out about her indiscretion with Nick, she couldn't lose him. She clamoured off the table and out from under him, ignoring the confused expression on Greg's face.

He laughed and Easton was grateful he wasn't going to question why she pulled away so suddenly. "Don't fly off the hook East. I just meant you forgetting about your time with 'lil 'ol me this morning." His pout quickly turned into an amused grin. He glanced behind them at the still empty studio. "What's got you all fired up? It's not like anyone saw us."

"Sorry. I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed." It was a lame lie, and she knew it, so she busied herself getting her clothes back on. She'd needed to be alone this morning which was why she purposefully left before Greg had returned home, and dancing was one of the only things that helped her take her mind off anything and it hadn't failed her this time either, that was until Greg had shown up and sent her crashing back to reality.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Greg's voice pushed through her thoughts. He patted the fit abs she knew were under the thin fabric of his t-shirt. "I haven't eaten since last night, and all I had was a crappy burger. I was thinking maybe we could stop and get something to eat before going home."

Easton nodded, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry for not being there this morning," she apologized, only wishing she could really apologize for the lack of judgement she'd had last night. She hugged him tighter, burrowing her face against his chest. "I really am."

Greg's hand rested on the small of her back and he seemed slightly taken aback but her sudden outburst of affection after she'd been so stand-offish a minute ago. "It's OK, East," he said into her hair. "It's no big deal." He leaned down, pulling away from her and grabbing her gym bag. "Ready?" He offered his free hand to her.

Easton grabbed it, his larger hand immediately enveloping her smaller one. She only hoped he would never find out how truly big of a deal it really was.


	3. Chapter 3

Greg glanced over his shoulder to where Easton was curled up on the sofa, surfing through the TV channels. He was trying to concentrate on getting ready for another night of work, but for some reason he couldn't take his eyes off her. They'd been dating for over 3 years and engaged for 1 and he didn't think he'd ever seen her so spaced out. She stared at the TV blankly, almost unaware of her surroundings, seemingly lost in her own world. He also couldn't help but notice how hot she looked in one of his old button down's and pretty much nothing else. He loved it when she wore his clothes, pulling her hair back into the same messy bun she always wore when she was hanging around the house. Her model-like legs lay gracefully draped over one another, their olive tone standing out against the beige colour of the sofa and she rested her head on one of the overstuffed brown throw pillows. He was actually jealous of her dachshund, Oscar, who sat curled up in the crook of Easton's legs.

"East!" Greg called.

She acted as though she hadn't heard him, her concentration still focused on the flickering TV screen.

"Easton…" Greg called again, this time dragging her name out a bit. She finally looked up, although her eyes seemed to be void of any life.

"Yeah?" She sat herself up, the carpet soft and warm beneath her feet. She hit the mute button on the talk show she was watching.

Greg motioned for her to come over to him, and she did, although she stopped awkwardly in the door to the kitchen that overlooked the rest of the apartment. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"There's another guy, isn't there?" he asked, somewhat joking. He bent down and grabbed an apple from the crisper at the bottom of the fridge.

His statement almost seemed to make her twitch unnaturally. "Greg, that's not funny. You know I love you."

He stood up to his full height. "Nah, I know that. But what's up? You seem distracted."

"Nothing's up, I'm just tired that all. I have a lot on my mind right now." She couldn't meet his gaze. What she had just said had to be the biggest understatement. Even though she'd known being with Nick last night was a mistake, she couldn't get him out of her head.

"Oh." Greg knew she was lying, but he wasn't going to push it. He knew she'd tell him in her own time, she always did. He enveloped her into his arms, feeling how baggy his shirt was on her slim frame. "As long as you're OK." He bent his head to her, kissing her slowly and sweetly, loving the taste of her mango lip-gloss the lingered on her lips. He let his hand trail up the back of her shirt and around to the front, his finger tracing a trail from the underside of her breast, down her taut belly to the hemline of her panties. She seemed to turn to jelly in his arms, pushing her mouth and her body deeper into him. They slowly took a few steps back together and he could feel the counter pressed against his tail bone. Greg felt her hand on his chest beneath his shirt, the other teasing him beneath his jeans.

He was just about to pull her panties off for round two that day when she suddenly almost seemed to jump back, her cheeks flushed. "Sorry," she muttered.

Greg watched her for a second and then grabbed her wrist, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Baby, what are you saying sorry for? What's the matter?"

He swore he saw a tear drip down her face, but as soon as it was there, it was gone with the swipe of her hand. "Look, I'm jut stressed, OK?" Her voice cracked and her bottom lip trembled. Easton was a normally confident, vivacious woman, but right now she felt like a crumbling mess.

He'd known her to be stressed before choreographing a new tour or routine, but he'd never seen her like this. If he really thought about it, the only other time he'd seen her cry was when he'd been in the hospital after being severely beaten in the "fanny smacking" case. She was normally capable of holding herself together. She huddled back against him and he willing brought her to him, stroking a stray strand that had come loose from her ponytail off her face. He wasn't sure what to say.

"I'll be OK." His shirt muffled her voice and Easton knew that was the biggest lie she'd ever heard in her life.


	4. Chapter 4

She knew she was pregnant. It didn't take a genius to figure that out as she leaned over the toilet bowl for what felt like the fiftieth time that morning, retching, trying desperately to rid her stomach of whatever was left of her breakfast. When her body finally decided to give her a break she stood up off the tiled floor and wiped her mouth with a piece of toilet paper, inhaling deeply. Grabbing the water bottle she'd left sitting on the counter she took a long swig as she let herself back out into the studio, only to be met with questioning looks not only from Raleigh Spence, but from pop singer Justin Bieber and his four back-up dancers who were there rehearsing for an awards show performance.

"Are you OK?" Raleigh asked, taking a few steps towards Easton so they were out of ear shot from everyone else.

Easton nodded, afraid to open her mouth in case she might throw-up again. She took another long drink, finishing off the water and tossing the empty bottle into the trash can.

A knowing smile twitched on the corner of Raleigh's lips. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" She squeaked out a giggle, clapping her hands together. "Greg's little men finally did the job, huh? It's about time, you guys do it enough."

Easton faked a happy expression while swallowing the water she had been sloshing around in her mouth. "You figured me out, Spence."

"You don't seem too happy about it," Raleigh said matter-of-factly, looking at Easton with a deadpan expression. Damn, that girl knew her too well. "It's not his, is it?"

"I slept with Nick three weeks ago," Easton admitted. "It just happened. He came by one night and he was all sweet, telling me how he just wanted to see me, and well, old habits die hard." She felt her cheeks burning and she glanced past Raleigh to make sure no one else was listening to their conversation. That would be all she needed, for the word to leak out into the tabloids before she had a chance to figure it out.

Raleigh's mouth hung open as she tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ear. "Nick?" She blinked slowly as she tried to wrap her mind around what Easton had just said. "You and Nick have been done for years. I mean, yeah, he's got that hot, sexy Texan thing going on, but if you were going to get back with him it should have happened a long time ago."

"Thanks for the support, Spence," Easton retorted dryly, bringing a hand to her stomach. It was beginning to churn again, just as she was getting hopeful there'd be no way she had anything left in her to puke up.

Raleigh put a hand on Easton's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Sorry, East. I didn't really know how to react."

"Uh, I hate to interrupt," Justin said, standing hesitantly a few paces behind them. "But Easton, I need you to show me the last dozen moves near the end of the routine, I just can't get the beat down for some reason."

Easton forced a smile on her face and the bile back down her throat. "Just give me one sec." She reached over to the mini-fridge and pulled out a fresh bottle of water, holding the cool moisture up to her face. Turning back to Raleigh, she shot her a warning look. "Do not breath a word of this to anyone."

Raleigh held her hands up with a pair of crossed fingers on each. "Scout's honour."


	5. Chapter 5

Nick slid the key into the lock of his front door, pushing the door open slowly and hauling his tired body across the threshold. It had been a long night, with a triple homicide to cover, but what had made it worse was that he'd had to document the scene alongside Greg, who without even realizing it, made every breath he took remind Nick of Easton and what had happened between them a few weeks ago.

As he threw his keys and wind-breaker onto the bench near the front door he froze when he saw who was sitting a few feet away from him on his couch, a tentative smile on her face.

"East, what are you doing here?"

She stood up, yanking down the hem of her denim shorts. "Hey Nicky, I wanted to talk to you." She walked to him, kissing him on the cheek, her breath feeling hot against his five o'clock shadow,

"Easton, I don't know if that's a good idea," Nick began, dodging around her and into his kitchen. He couldn't be that close to her anymore without wanting to feel every inch of her naked body pressed against his own. He grabbed a beer from the fridge, cracking it open and taking a mouthful. He noticed she had followed him in, but she too seemed to be trying to keep her distance.

"Nick, I'm pregnant."

The beer slipped out of his hand and crashed down onto the linoleum floor, foam spilling over the shards of glass. He stared at her, a million thoughts rushing through his mind, but none of them making it to his vocal chords. "Is it-is it mine?" he managed to stutter.

Easton shrugged, tears streaking her face. "I don't know, Nicky. It could be, but I slept with Greg after I was with you, so it could be his too. He is my fiancé."

"I'm not a fucking idiot, Easton. I know he's your fiancé." He suddenly felt angry at her, angry at himself. When they'd been dating, they'd always used protection, but now the one time, the one time they slept together when they weren't even an item, when she was engaged to one of his best friends, that had to be the time he went and knocked her up.

"Please don't be angry at me," she whimpered.

Nick looked at her, his heart dropping. He forcefully grabbed her and hugged her firmly, feeling her tremble as she sobbed against his chest, her tears leaving wet mascara streaks down his camel coloured pull-over. "It takes two people to make a baby, East. I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at myself, at both of us."

She inhaled sharply, scratching at the clumped make-up under her eyes. "I just hope it wasn't the two of us."

Nick didn't want her to know, but those words stung more then being shot.


	6. Chapter 6

Nick walked into the lab the next night, just praying for some serial killer to whack off a few more people so he'd have something to do, something to keep his mind off Easton and the pregnancy and focused on something else.

As he made his way back toward his office, he could see Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle conversing with Greg in the break room, smiles across their faces. He knew what they were talking about, he just had to pretend he didn't.

"Hey Nick, come on in here, Greg's got some good news I'm sure he wants you to hear," Sara called just as Nick almost made it safely away from them undetected.

Nick reluctantly walked in, biting his lip when he saw the giddy grin spread across the former lab rat's face. "So, what's the big news, Greggo?" he said with false enthusiasm.

Greg's brown eyes seemed to be dancing with a spark Nick had never really noticed in them before. "Easton's pregnant," he announced, the stupid, impish grin still plastered across his face.

"Wow, congrats, man." Nick feigned surprise, clapping Greg half-heartedly on the back. He looked around at his colleagues and realized both women seemed to share the look Greg had. If any of them ever found out the baby might be his, he was worried he wouldn't just be hated by Greg, but maybe the whole team too.

"Yeah, I still can't really believe it yet, I mean I wasn't sure I was ready to be a dad yet, but…"

"I'd love to hear all about it, but can I take a rain check? I have some, uh, paper work to catch up on before we head out into the field," Nick rambled, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Before they had a chance to say anything, he ducked out of the room and scooted down the hall to the safety of his office.

"I kind of get the feeling you already knew about Easton," a female voice remarked.

Nick swung away from his desk to see Catherine standing just inside his office . She quietly clicked the door shut and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of his desk.

Nick laughed nervously, staring at the tarantula in the glass tank he had inherited from Grissom. "Now what would make you say that, Cath?"

"Women's intuition?" she mused with a leer. "Or maybe that the two of you have been carrying on your own version of an affair behind Greg's back?"

Nick nearly choked on his own saliva as the words came out of Catherine's mouth. "An affair?"

"I see the way you guys share googly eyes and smiles every time you're around each other, whether Greg's looking or not." She tucked her leg up under her as she shifted in the chair. "I think Greg's just too smitten with Easton and the fact that he's engaged to a famous heiress to notice anything else around him. But there's still something there with you two, you love each other."

"Yeah, I do still love Easton," he confessed, although he knew that wasn't news to anyone. "And I'm always going to. That doesn't mean I'm not thrilled for her and Greg."

Catherine looked at him pointedly. "But you already knew about the baby, didn't you? She told you before she told Greg."

She had told him alright, told him that there was a chance the baby was his, but he honestly didn't know if she had in fact told him the news before she'd told Greg. "Yeah, East told me herself. But I don't know if she'd already told Greg when she told me." It wasn't a total lie, just some details had been left out.

Catherine had just opened her mouth to speak when there was a quick knock on the door and David Hodges poked his head in, wielding a sheet of paper and a lab jar holding some fibre samples.

"I've got the test results for you, Nick, for the stalker case." He looked back and forth between the two, suddenly realizing he'd interrupted something, but Nick was beyond grateful. He didn't want to be grilled by his supervisor anymore about the status between him and Easton, in fact, if he could have it his way, he wanted to get Easton out of his mind completely.


	7. Chapter 7

Greg watched her rise up onto her toes and then back down again, twirling across the room, coming to a graceful stop. He'd always loved watching her dance, watching the amazing ways she could manoeuvre her body, twisting it in just the right ways to flow with the beat of the music. It was even more entertaining watching her now that she'd developed quite an impressive four-month baby bump, the swelling pressing against the stretchy fabric of her tank top, almost seeming like it would throw her off balance, but she easily maintained her composure. Greg smiled at her reflection in the mirror as she caught sight of him, just as her teenage ballet students followed her steps across the room.

"Girls, let's get some extra stretching in and run some warm-up before we begin rehearsing for the recital. I'll be back in ten," Easton told her dancers as she made her way along the side of the room to where Greg stood. As soon as she was within arms reach he brought her to him, slinking his lanky arms around her, kissing her.

"Baby, you're early," Easton said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "My appointment's not until 5:30."

Greg grinned, following her into her office, watching her unravel the ribbon of her Pointe shoes down off her leggings and pull the beat-up pink satin slippers off. Her toes were taped as usual, but it pained him to see the blood stains and gnarled toe nails that Easton always laughed off. He thought it must kill every time she put those shoes on, but she claimed she'd been doing it so long she didn't feel it anymore. He gently pushed her so that she leaned back in her office chair and he folded up the bottom of her shirt, exposing her enlarging belly. He kissed the warm skin and grinned up at her.

"I came to tell you I won't be able to get off work to go with you," he informed her reluctantly. He traced circles around her stretching skin. "Apparently a case I've been working on, they've found a big break, so I can't afford not to be there."

Easton felt her heart drop as she watched Greg coo over her stomach. He'd missed her first ultrasound due to an emergency call-out to a gang-related murder scene and now he was going to miss the second one. She pasted a smile on her face, teasingly tugging on his ears as he kissed her belly and put her shirt back down for her. Rising up, he instead let his lips explore hers.

"I guess I'm going to have to let you get another free pass, Hush Puppy."

Greg grimaced. He hated when she called him that, and he knew she knew it. She'd called him that when they'd first been dating, when they'd be in the throws of a particularly hot sex session, she'd liked to grab his ears, saying their size and how cute his round brown eyes were reminded her of a floppy-eared puppy dog. Considering he'd been teased about it as a child, he didn't exactly find it a turn on. Now she'd taken to calling him that only when she was angry with him.

"East, you know it's not cause I don't want to be there," he said. He sat back on the edge of her desk, fiddling a pen between his fingers. "I need to wrap this case up, we have a lot of back log right now and I need to catch up, Ecklie's been on my ass that I'm not keeping up with my case load."

Easton glanced up at him from beneath her thick lashes, not willing to let him off quite yet. She knew it bothered him just as much as it did her that he was missing these moments. "Can't Ray fill in for you? Come on, it's not like you're missing your whole shift, it's just like an hour or so."

"Ecklie's demanding it, you know what he's like, babe." He groaned, rubbing at his temples. "Don't make me feel worse then I already do."

Easton stood and shimmied herself between his knees and he spread his hands across her abdomen, kissing the tip of her nose. She loved how whenever she was near him he was constantly at her tummy, taking pleasure in each day of her pregnancy. She wished she was enjoying it as much as he was, but the constant fact that she wasn't sure who the father of her unborn child was made it almost impossible. Especially seeing how much Greg had dove into it made it even worse that sometime in the near future she was likely going to have to break his heart.

"It's OK Sanders, I understand." She ran her hands through his sandy coloured hair, trying to relax him.

Greg closed his eyes as she rubbed his scalp. He adored it when she did that, it made his muscles melt like butter. "But I do have a consolation prize for you since you can't have me."

"Oh yeah, and who would that be?"

"Well, he's not coming in tonight since he spent the day in court, so he offered to go with you when he found out I couldn't, you know, be my eyes and ears."

"Please tell me you didn't tell Hodges he could come with me," Easton laughed.

"No, Nick."

Easton felt her fingers involuntarily freeze mid-massage and Greg squinted one eye open, trying to find out why she'd stopped when it was feeling so good. She quickly started again so he closed his eyes, so he wouldn't be able to register the look she knew was on her face. "You're not uncomfortable with that? I mean, you don't care if my ex comes to my ultrasound with me?"

Greg reached up and pulled her hands from his head, holding them both between his. "East, Nick is a good friend to both of us, and what's in the past is in the past. You're mine now, and I trust you guys."

Trust. Such a powerful word that little did Greg know she so easily be broke.


	8. Chapter 8

"Nick, turn around."

Nick blinked slowly and looked up to see Easton standing in front of him, holding one of those paper thin hospital gowns in her hand. He hated hospitals and doctors offices. Despite the fact that he'd seen some pretty traumatic things throughout his career, he couldn't get past the heebie-jeebies the hospitals gave him. The sterile smell, the beeping machines, the doctors in their white coats, nothing about it sat well with him.

"Why do I need to turn around?" he asked, trying to stop his knee from bobbing up and down in a panicky tremor.

"Cause I need to strip down and put this on." She presented the hospital gown to him.

Nick simpered. "East, I've seen you naked, I've touched you naked, you don't need to be shy around me."

Easton just glowered at him until he slowly shifted himself in his chair so that his gaze was directed toward the wall.

"Thank you," she muttered as he could hear her shuffling around behind him.

He warily glanced over his shoulder and watched as she tugged her aquamarine yoga t-shirt over her head, exposing her growing cleavage that was spilling out of her cream coloured bra and expanding abdomen. In Nick's opinion, she'd never looked so exquisite. She hadn't realized he was watching her as she bent down and slipped her jeans off, her creamy panties hugging her butt faultlessly.

As if in a trance, Nick felt his feet walk him across the room and encased him arms around her from the rear, feeling his rough skin flow easily against the downy skin of her belly as he nestled his face in her hair, huffing in her inebriating scent. She startled slightly, leaning her head away from him just as his lips left a gentle caress on her cheek.

"Nick, no." She attempted to step out of his grasp, but he refused to let her go.

"East, I need to be with you again." He turned her around so he could see her face, see the expression he gave him. "I should have never let you go in the first place."

Surprisingly, she stood on her toes and kissed him softly, the impression of her lips burned on his. But as soon as the tenderness was there, she forced herself out of his grasp, putting the hospital gown on, decisively avoiding his stare. "Nick, you never let me go. I left. I didn't know who you were anymore."

" What do you mean by that? I'm still the same person I've always been."

When she looked back up at him, he could see the anger and bitterness in her gaze. "No, Nick you're not." She swallowed hard as if to hold back tears. "Nick after you were kidnapped and buried, I never thought I'd see you again. I remember sitting at the lab with your parents, just hysterical, praying they'd find you. When Grissom let me see the video feed, part of me wanted to tell you to put the gun in your mouth and end it so you didn't have to suffer anymore. But after they found you, you weren't you anymore. You suffered more outside of that box then you did in it, and no matter how hard I tried to help you, I couldn't. You were distant, obsessed with Kelly, lost in your own thoughts. Greg was there for me through that, as a friend at first, but then more came from that, as you drifted further and further away."

Nick didn't know what to say as his vision clouded. "East, you know what I went through after that. If I had known I'd not only lose myself, but you too, then maybe I should've used the gun. Because every day I've had to watch you with Greg makes me wish I was back in that box all over again." It felt like a weight off his shoulders to have finally said the words he'd been meaning to say for a long time. Despite the fact that he was standing in the middle of an obstetricians office, tears running down his face.

He felt fingers on his as Easton reached out and snatched his hand, wrenching him back to her. He knelt his head down and banded his lips to hers, kissing her with every ounce in him.

The door creaked open. "Oh, I'm sorry, I've interrupted."

Nick jumped back from Easton, his cheeks flaming as he embarrassingly smiled at Dr. Rossi. "Oh no, no, it's OK." He backed toward the door. "I was just saying good-bye." He gave Easton a pointed look as he quickly let himself out before she protested. He knew he was supposed to stay to support her, but at the moment, all he needed to do was be alone.


	9. Chapter 9

Easton kept her head bent as she walked into the lab late that night, choosing to pretend to be deeply concentrated on the stitching of her three-inch black patent Louboutin's then risk having anyone make small talk with her. She knew Nick had gone home after he'd bailed following the whole incident at her appointment , so she didn't have to worry about feigning anything social with him, but she hadn't been to visit Greg at the lab since her pregnancy had been announced, so she knew the team was itching to layer her with congrats.

She nearly ran into Henry as he came bustling out of the lab, result sheets flapping in his hand. "Easton! Aren't you a pleasant sight!" His cheeks always flushed when he was talking to her, and they burned even brighter as he took in her changing shape. "I guess now that he got you pregnant there's no chance of you leaving Greg and running away with me, now is there?"

"Sorry, Henry," she apologized, not slowing down so that he would get the hint she wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. She ducked into Greg's office, narrowly avoiding Ray Langston who had just spotted her and had begun taking steps toward her.

"East, baby, hey." Greg looked up at her from behind his desk and she was appreciative she'd caught him here and not out in the field.

She just stood there, not definite what exactly to say, but she knew he deserved the veracity of what was really going on.

"Easton? What's wrong?"

"The baby might not be yours." The words plunged from her tongue before she lost the audacity to say them .

Greg gaped at her, his lips moving, but no words coming out. He wasn't a crier like Nick was, but Easton swore she saw tears glistening in his eyes, those amazing chocolate coloured, puppy-dog eyes she so loved to lose herself in. Her heart dropped down into her feet and she felt her teeth puncture the bottom lip she never realized she was chewing, the metallic taste of blood washing over the tip of her tongue.

"Say something, please." She hadn't wanted to do this, she hadn't wanted to hurt him like this.

"Who?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Nick." She shook her head and stared down at her feet. Greg couldn't help but notice how tired she looked, but he wasn't about to let himself feel sorry for her. She was the one who'd screwed up, not him.

"Just go away," Greg whispered. "I don't want to see you." He knew she could barely hear him, but he didn't have the energy to say it louder. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, but it was no use. He couldn't shake the image of Nick and Easton together, intimately, when she was allegedly his. "Oh man," he muttered, wishing he could just disappear.

Opening his eyes again, Easton still stood there, distraught, the bright lights of the lab looking surreal in contrast with her clenched fists and his dark mood.

"Greg," she said quietly. Her intense blue eyes scanned him up and down, causing Greg to shiver despite the heat of the day.

_She even looks good when I hate her, _he thought, noticing the tensed muscles along her neck and shoulders, making her look even sexier.

"Are you OK?" she asked, all concern.

Greg snorted. "Oh yeah, I'm fine, Having a great night, you?"

Easton rolled her eyes, the tension crossing her face. "It was a one time thing. We can work this out."

"Work it out?" Greg exclaimed, widening his eyes. "That's funny. You go and sleep with one of my best friends and get knocked up and you want to work it out?" Easton opened her mouth, but Greg cut her off. "Wait, let me guess, you're still in love with him, aren't you?"

"You're blowing this out of proportion, Greg," she said.

"Really?' Greg crossed his arms in front of his chest. " Then answer the question, East. Are you still in love with Nick?"

Sighing heavily, Easton looked directly into his eyes. "I don't know,' she said.

Greg's heart jumped. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a glimmer of hope, but he was too scared to trust it. "Really?"

Easton blinked once and dropped her gaze, staring down at the floor, and immediately Greg felt like he'd been shot through the heart. He brought his hand to his stomach, unable to breathe.

"I think I am," Easton said quietly before raising her eyes to his once again. " But I still love you too."

Her blue eyes were pleading with him and Greg heard the conviction in her voice, but it didn't matter. _I think I am_ was echoing in his mind too fast for anything else to get in. It was too much to handle.

With one pointed finger she was out of his office and he slammed the door in her face.

"Greg!" Easton yelled, but Greg could barely hear her.

_She thinks she loves him,_ he thought, pressing his back to the door and slowly sinking to the floor. _And she has the nerve to say she still loves me too?_

Well, that wasn't enough.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning Easton awoke to the sound of rain pummelling the roof of the apartment, the windows slashed with droplets of the cool water and the sky filled with dark clouds, blocking out the sun completely and making the city an eerie grey colour of smog, and in Easton's state of mind, complete misery. She rubbed at her eyes, scratching at the caked-up mascara underneath and realizing that she was lying on the floor, cuddled up to one of Greg's unwashed dress shirts.

She pushed herself up with her hands, realizing how tight her muscles were from lying in a tensed fetal position all night, the carpet's pattern burned into every inch of exposed skin. The cordless phone lay at her feet, it's battery dead from being left on all night. Not that she'd called anyone. She'd just sat there, her tears blurring the call-display screen and her finger doing a rotating hover over the first digits of Greg and Nick's cell phone, not knowing who to call, or if they would even want to talk to her. How could she have been so stupid? Greg had been the best thing to happen to her in a long time, and now she wasn't sure if he'd ever even look at her again.

Suddenly a shrill ring burst out and Easton felt her body jump slightly, looking around, trying to determine where the sound was coming from. Spotting her Marc Jacobs bag flung onto the floor a few feet away, she lunged for it, yanking her cell phone from it's pouch and clicking the talk button before the sound could bore into her already pounding head even more.

"Hello?" her voice was raw and hoarse and she unsteadily climbed to her feet, catching a quick glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror that hung on the wall. She looked awful, her silky red halter top wrinkled around her pregnant belly, and her Louboutin's hanging crookedly on her feet, the straps that managed to keep them on there half undone. Her once perfectly styled waves were now a knotted mess and her make-up smudged across her face.

"Hey East, I'm happy I finally got a hold of you," Nick's voice came through. " I wasn't sure if I should call the home number in case Greg answered. I heard you told him."

At the mention of Greg's name, Easton felt herself begin to crumble apart again.

"Easton, you there?" Nick asked as Easton tried to put her emotions into check.

"Yeah, Nicky, I'm here." No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop her voice from cracking and the tears from flowing.

"East, we'll work through this. Greg will talk to you, you just need to give him time."

" I destroyed him." She knew she sounded like a two-year-old who'd just had her favourite toy stolen, but she couldn't help it, her emotions were flying around too many places for her to keep any sort of cool.

"Easton, you didn't destroy him. Give him some time, he loves you, this will be fixed," Nick attempted to reassure although he didn't quite believe his own words.

"Nick, I think I'm still in love with you."

There was silence on the other end, the only break was the beep of Nick's call waiting.

"East, I have to get that. I'll talk to you later."

She didn't want to lose him, she needed to keep hearing his voice.

"OK, East, I'll call you later today."

She nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her.

"OK, East?"

"OK, Nick," came her warbled response before the line abruptly cut out. She dropped the phone, still trying to get a handle on how to piece the life she had ruined so badly back together. It all seemed like a nightmare, some stupid dream that she'd had that she could just completely erase from her memory like it never happened. But Easton knew she was wrong, she knew it had happened, and she had no idea what was going to happen next.

"Easton?" a voice called, followed by a knock at the bedroom door.

Easton froze, staring at the door as if whoever was on the other side was just going to magically walk through the wood any second.

"Easton, are you in there? It's me Raleigh. If we don't leave in five minutes we're going to be late for rehearsals with Britney."

Raleigh. Shit. Easton had completely forgotten she was due in the studio to help Britney Spears choreograph some new routines to co-inside with the release of her upcoming album.

"East, c'mon, I know you're in there."

Easton could tell from Raleigh's tone she was getting annoyed. Before she could nag anymore, Easton pulled herself to her feet and swung the door open, ignoring Raleigh's shocked expression at Easton's obviously haggard appearance.

"I didn't know the grunge look was in for maternity," she quipped. "You going out like that?"

"What do you think, Spence?" Easton suddenly snapped. She didn't need to trade sarcastic banter with Raleigh, she just wanted to go to bed and forget that her whole world was spinning out of control. "I told Greg last night. Everything."

"You told him that you slept with Nick?"

"No, I just spent the night sleeping on my floor looking like I spent my time pregnant and drinking because I needed some excitement."

"You kind of made your own mess, East," Raleigh so kindly pointed out.

"Don't remind me," Easton droned, allowing herself to fall back onto her bed. She managed to move her throbbing head to the side to glance at the digital clock on the bedside table. "He should've been home by now."

"Do you think he's actually going to come home?"

She hadn't really thought about that, the fact that they shared a home, that this was Greg's place to, that everything he owned was here. Where else was he supposed to go now that she'd so successfully destroyed what used to be their sanctuary. But as she caught sight of her engagement ring still on her left hand she felt fresh tears spring to her eyes. What was she thinking she was still in love with Nick? It was Greg she was marrying, him the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, him the one she loved to lie with in the early morning hours when he came home from a long night at work, feeling his balmy skin against hers, running her hands through his sandy, close cut hair, hearing his breathing slow as he fell asleep against her.

But why couldn't she get Nick out her mind? His masculine physique, his Southern charm and sensitivity, the history she shared with him, the way one look from those intense dark eyes turned her into a puddle.

"Look, let's just not think about it for now." Raleigh took both of Easton's hands and pulled her up off the bed. "Let's just head to the studio and get this meeting with Britney done and then maybe we can go shopping after, forget about your problems for a bit."

Easton laughed at Raleigh's feeble attempt to cheer her up and she let her friend pull her to her feet and out of the room into the hallway. She and Greg had encountered problems in their relationship before, yet the more Easton thought about it, the more she wasn't sure this one was going to have a happy ending.


	11. Chapter 11

Easton cautiously stepped from the elevator later that morning, listening for any sound of movement. She wasn't sure if Greg would even come home, but she'd taken her chances, skipping out on the last half of the meeting with Britney by feigning pregnancy-related nausea so she'd have the chance of catching him at home and maybe convincing him to let her talk to him. It was a useless gesture, she knew. She hadn't seen him since last night when he had banished her from his office.

"Greg?" she called out, hearing the elevator doors slide shut behind her as she kicked off her suede Jimmy Choo ballet flats. She heard someone in the kitchen and she poked her head through the doorway. She could see Greg's head poking just above the counter, but he didn't move to greet her. Instead his head ducked down and Easton took a few cautious steps until she was able to see his full profile. He sat hunched against the kitchen cupboards, his body shaking, his cheeks streaked with tears. Easton immediately felt choked with the desperation to just be able to hold him, to tell him how sorry she was that she was the one who'd reduced him to this.

"Get lost, Easton," he ordered. Now that she was actually in front of him, she realized she didn't even know what she was going to say.

"Can we please just talk?" she asked gently.

"I have nothing to say to you. Go find Nick, maybe he wants to hear your voice."

"I know I really hurt you, and I'm sorry. I don't know why I thought I still loved Nick. You know I love you. All that happened…"

"Was all just fate, right? Fate saying you and Nick should be back together," Greg finished for her, his tone bitter.

Easton paused. "That's not right. You know I don't believe in fate, and no, I don't think Nick and I should be back together. It was a mistake, Greg.'

"Then why didn't you think to be honest with me right away? Not let four months go by?" he demanded. "Why would you have not said something the moment you knew you were pregnant? We've always been honest with each other. Always. At least until now."

Easton looked down at the floor. "Greg, I…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

He didn't know if it was all the sentiments deluging him or if he was just tangibly insane, but he grasped at her, forcing himself on her, his lips battering against hers belligerently as he pulled her down onto his lap. Impelling her silk-chiffon Thayer tunic off, he clasped her engorging breasts that were spilling from her bandeau bra, casing his hands around the small of her back, pulling her as close to him as possible, the only thing between them her budding abdomen. He lurched his tongue past her lips, roping it with hers as she wrenched his merlot coloured Henley over his head, lightly scratching her nails down his torso to the button of his cargo pants which she proceeded to undo. Not removing his lips from hers for even a second, he propelled his hand underneath the tight fabric of her leggings and into her thong, fidgeting with her clit. They shimmied together, each pulling the others pants off and Easton lowered herself onto his erection, her eyes widening in pure bliss as he filled her. She slowly began to bounce on his lap, swaying her hips slightly to find a snugger fit, leaning back, Greg grasping her round belly.

Greg pressed her back so that she was lying flat on the kitchen floor, the marble cold against their now sweaty skin. He started to more forcefully fuck her, slamming himself in and out of her, pinching the skin on her arms as he held her down, feeling some of his pent up rage at her perspire out his pores, ignoring the slightly alarmed look that had replaced the rapture on Easton's face.

"Greg, stop. You're hurting me." Her voice was what snapped him out of his angry tirade and sent him spiralling back down to earth to realize this wasn't him. It wasn't in his nature to use physical intimidation to issue revenge, and even though she had hurt him so badly, he never wanted to physically harm her, but maybe that had been his way of having her bear an ounce of the agony he was feeling. His face fiery with embarrassment, he scrabbled off of her and they silently both pulled their clothing back on, Greg trying to get his shaking hands under control. He didn't know why he had done that, but then again, he hadn't been himself for the past 24 hours, not that that was an excuse.

"You made me feel like…" Greg stopped talking. Easton could feel his eyes on her again, and she tried to calm her racing heart, tried to understand what had just happened, what was happening now.

"You know what? Forget it. Easton. I'm not wasting my time on you."

She glanced up at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Greg crossed his hands over his chest. "It's over between us, Easton."

Easton felt herself stiffen. "You didn't even let me explain."

"Forget it, Easton." Greg shook his head and rose to his feet. He scooped up his car keys that were on the counter and brushed past her. "Let's just forget about the whole thing. I'll have my stuff out of here by the week's end, but I don't want to see you."

Easton marched after him as he headed for the elevator. "You can't be doing this, Greg."

Greg kept walking. "Wow, look Easton, it looks like I am, now doesn't it?"

"Greg, wait!" She called after him. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I love you and I just want to be with you."

Greg turned on her, causing her to stutter-step to a halt. "Are you deaf or something, Easton?" His eyes glistened in the apartment lights. His voice was desperate, as if he was forcing himself to say the words. "You've already proved that you can't love me that much. It's over between us."

"Greg, come on," Easton pleaded, the lump in her throat making it hard to speak. "We just need some time to figure this out."

Greg turned one last time in the elevator doorway. "No, _you _need time to figure out who you want." His lips were quaking as he added. "Leave. Me. Alone." He spun around on the heels of his Addidas and was gone with the ding of the door, leaving Easton alone in the apartment.


	12. Chapter 12

Nick rolled over in the bed, his body restive, his mind so agitated with thoughts he knew there was no hope he was actually going to get any sleep despite the fact he'd just finished a tiring night of work. He didn't know why he was here, he knew he shouldn't be, but he hadn't been able to help himself. She and Greg had only been broken up for three months or so and now here he found himself, lying clad only in his boxers, sunk deep in the sheets of her bed beside her, having come here straight from work, telling everyone else the most contact he'd had with her were brief dialogues on the phone to make sure everything was going all right with the pregnancy.

Not that they'd been sleeping together. At least not this time. The first time he'd talked to her right after she'd broken the news to Greg, he'd come over that night, and well, the facts were he just couldn't seem to control himself around her, especially after she'd told him she believed she still loved him. But that had been months ago. Now they spent their early mornings snuggling, spending quiet moments together before they separated to do their own things, her disappearing to the studio, him going to the lab where he was finding it harder and harder to avoid Greg, to get past the discord he'd caused within the entire team.

They weren't a couple again, Easton had made sure that Nick was aware of that. They were just the close friends they'd always been, he was just her companion, her pillar of support as she attempted to sort out the broken jigsaw of a puzzle that was her life. Nick didn't care what he was to her, as long as it meant spending time with her, seeing her pregnancy take shape, hearing her voice, being Greg to her, since he knew that was who she was really wishing was lying beside her each morning. He would hear her, tucked away in the living room, dialling and redialling Greg's number, soliciting him to talk to her. He felt like a loser, yet daily he'd show up, ready and willing to take on whatever role she wanted him to.

Shifting again he took in the sight of her lying on her back next to him, her chest rising and falling with every breath. He reached his hand out and ran it over the round mound that was her now seven month expectant belly underneath the thin fabric of her sleep t-shirt and she stirred, opening her eyes and smiling sleepily as her gaze met his. Rolling himself so he was half-on top of her, he grazed her lips with his, tucking his arms under her back and lifting her lightly to him. She kissed him in return, but made no move for anymore physical affection.

"Why are you awake?" She closed her eyes again, settling in his arms.

Nick let his eyes scan the length of her, mentally trying to force his erection to weaken itself. "I couldn't sleep."

She altered her body so that now her face was nuzzled against his chest. "Well try to, cause I want to," as she said this a small smile played on her mouth.

"Hello?" a female voice rang through the apartment.

Nick felt Easton's body tense and her eyes snapped open.

"Hello, Easton?" the voice came again, followed by footsteps that sounded like they were coming from the foyer.

Nick watched inquisitively as Easton almost seemed to launch herself from the bed, grabbing her purple, fluffy bathrobe from the floor and throwing it on.

"Stay here," she stipulated. Before Nick had a chance to respond she was out of the bedroom.

As Easton padded down the hallway, she could pickup the sound of luggage wheels on the foyer marble floor, and she was silently praying it wasn't who she knew it was going to be.

Rounding the corner, she came face to face with Greg's mother, Elise Sanders, standing just through the elevator, followed by Greg's father, John Sanders. They each had a rolling suitcase with them, and Easton felt her blood pressure rise. She had known before everything had happened with Greg that they had been planning on coming for a visit, but since she and Greg had split, she had figured he would have cancelled the get-together. He obviously hadn't, and Easton wondered if Greg was even aware that they were in town from California.

"Oh, we've woken you. I knew we should have come later," Elise fussed as she reached and hugged Easton, patting her tummy. "Pregnancy looks good on you, sweetie."

Easton's cheeks flared. "Thanks, Elise."

John hugged Easton as well. "Looking beautiful, as usual, my girl," he told her, kissing her hair.

Easton just squeezed him back, afraid of opening her mouth.

Elise looked around slightly expectantly. "Well, where is that scientist son of mine?"

"He's uh, not home from work yet," she lied. "But come on in." As she led them into the den, she glanced over her shoulder, wondering if Nick would know to stay in the bedroom until he was able to slip out unseen.

Elise pulled a small, blue package from her purse and handed it to Easton as they settled onto the couch. "For you, from Nana and Papa Olaf. She's set you're having a boy." As Easton took the parcel from Elise, she winked. "Nana's psychic, you know."

Tearing the wrapping from it, Easton felt her voice catch in her throat. Inside the box was a toy wooden train that looked like it had seen better years, but Easton knew exactly what it was. The train had belonged to Greg's maternal grandfather, Papa Olaf, and had been a treasured toy when he'd been growing up in Norway, and it had then been a favourite of Greg's, and now it had been passed to their child. Or Nick's. Her eyes grew wet as she gently put the train on the coffee table.

"Sweetie, I know its ugly, but you don't need to cry over it," John joked.

Elise smacked her husband on the knee. "Of course if you don't like it, we can keep it at our place for when you come to visit with the baby."

Easton shook her head. "No, I love it."

There was a bump that came from the entrance, and Elise startled.

"Gregory, is that you?" she called, and Easton was afraid she'd find out how wrong she was.

Her tongue tied, Easton watched helplessly as John rose to his feet and meandered back to the lobby.

"Nick?"

"Nick?" Elise repeated, looking at Easton questioningly.

Nick appeared in the parlour, back with John, his cheeks pink. "Elise, good to see you!" he said, leaning down to hug Greg's mother.

"What are you doing here? Is Gregory with you?"

"Uh, no, he had some stuff to tie up at the lab, so he's still there," Nick concocted, glancing at Easton from the corner of his eye. Her face had gone pale. "He just asked me to swing by and make sure Easton was OK, since he was running late."

Elise and John seemed to buy Nick's lame excuse, and Elise moved on the couch, patting the spot next to her. "Well, then, why don't you come sit, stay awhile? Of course, if that's OK with Easton."

"That would normally be fine, but I actually have to get to the studio," Easton fibbed. She corralled the Sanders' up off the couch and back toward the hall. "Why don't you two go enjoy some of the sights, maybe get some breakfast? Give Greg a call, I'm sure he'll be eager to see you ASAP. Then maybe we can have dinner tonight?"

She was hoping Elise wouldn't opt to just relax at the apartment as Greg's parents looked back and forth between each other, seeming a little bewildered by Easton's uncharacteristic behaviour.

"You know what, that sounds like a much better idea then sitting around the apartment," John said finally. "I'm a little cramped from being on the plane anyways."

Easton breathed a sigh of relief as Elise leaned in for another hug. "We will see you this evening, then, OK, hun?"

Easton nodded, as John pressed the button for the elevator.

"And Nick, I'm sure you want to go home and get some sleep," Easton pushed.

Nick nodded, not quite meeting her eyes. The elevator doors opened and all three of them climbed in, and Easton waved bye, knowing that once Greg's parents found out the real reason why he wasn't there this morning, it was probably going to be the last time she'd ever see them.


	13. Chapter 13

Greg stared down at the pictures of the man who'd been electrocuted, pretending to study the image intently, anything to avoid talking to Nick who stood on the other side of the lit table from him. This was the first case they'd been the two main CSI's assigned to since everything had exploded, and Greg was having a hard time keeping it civil. He knew Nick was still seeing Easton on a daily basis, as much as the Texan said otherwise, and it incensed him even more.

The last time Greg had seen Easton was two weeks ago when his parents had decided to show up for an impromptu visit. Instead of breaking his over-protective mother's heart, he and Easton had decided to simulate happiness over dinner then tell them the truth. They would break that news when the baby was born and they determined who the father was, which if it turned out to be Nick, Greg didn't know if his heart could break anymore then it already had.

Easton had looked dazzling though, Greg had to acknowledge that, no matter how much he abhorred her, she'd always be striking in his eyes. The pregnancy had given her curves she didn't have before and Greg had had a hard time not taking her in the back and having his way with her. She'd been affectionate with him through the entire dinner, holding his hands, touching his arms, allowing him to feel her growing bump. He hadn't know if it had been for show, or if it had been genuine, but he did know that the feel of her skin on his had made him desperate that time travel could really exist.

Ray Langston stood at the head of the table, seeming oblivious or choosing to ignore the tension between the two.

"And next up, we have the layout room," Hodges voice came loudly as he suddenly appeared in the doorway followed by a group of people wearing visitor badges, causing the three men to look up in surprise. "Group, I'd like you to meet Dr. Raymond Langston, Nick Stokes and Greg Sanders," Hodges continued, pointing at each one of them as he introduced them. "These are our CSI field agents. They go out and collect all those little bits of evidence and then they bring them to me for answers."

Nick watched the group with raised eyebrows as they all filed into the room, filling the doorway.

"Oooh, it looks like they're cooking up a searing mystery today," Hodges went on dramatically.

"Are these pictures of a murder victim?" a middle-aged woman asked, a look of dismay on her face.

"Attempted." Hodges nodded. "I hear he's hanging on by a thread."

Greg noticed a woman scoot by other members of the tour group to come to the front and he felt his breath catch in his throat. She was gorgeous with jet black hair and porcelain white skin, wearing a modest v-neck navy and white polka dot dress with a pale pink cardigan over top, a pearl drop necklace and matching earrings. She was everything opposite of Easton, which was exactly what Greg needed right now. He couldn't take his eyes off her and she seemed to be watching him too.

"You mean to say that he's still alive?" an older man within the group queried.

Nick seemed to notice the trance Greg seemed to be under and he motioned at him. "You know, Greg here is our lead man on the case, so if you have any questions you can direct them to him." The least he could do was help his friend get a new girl after he'd been such a horrible part of taking away his other one.

Greg seemed a little put off by Nick's statement, but he went with it when he noticed the woman perk up slightly.

"Are you Mr. Lodges boss?" she questioned, leaning forward with what seemed like genuine interest at hearing Greg talk.

"Uh, Hodges," Hodges muttered from the side.

"Uh, not exactly," Greg said, his gaze not wavering from her elegant face.

"That's so horrible. Is he going to live?" her face went from interest to concern.

Greg blinked, shaking his head slightly, finally looking away from her. "I'm sorry but this is an ongoing case so I can't really discuss any of the details."

She seemed slightly disappointed, but she sighed, a smile spreading across her face, causing her brown eyes to sparkle. "I'm sorry. I understand."

Nick and Ray shared a look, somewhat of relief that Greg finally seemed to be moving past Easton and somewhat of amusement at the fact that he seemed to be so taken by this mystery woman.

"And what brings you here?" Greg asked, now ignoring the rest of the group.

"I teach fourth grade science and I wanted to see if this was appropriate for a field trip." She made a face, glancing around the room before looking back at Greg. "But I'm afraid it's a little too gory."

"Oh honey," Hodges said before Greg could reply. "This is nothing. I could tell you stories that would just curl your hair."

"The tour could definitely be cleaned up for more i_nnocent_ eyes," Greg said, looking at her pointedly.

Ray made his way around the light table to where Hodges stood. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble would you mind taking these down to the lab and running them for trace, please?" he asked, handing Hodges several evidence bags. "No, don't worry, I'll be taking over the tour for you. You go right ahead and carry on."

"Alas, ladies and gentlemen," Hodges said somewhat dramatically, taking the evidence from Ray. "Duty calls. I bid you adieu."

"And now ladies and gentlemen, if you would follow me this way to reception," Ray said, leading the group back out into the hall. The woman seemed reluctant to leave, watching Greg as she slowly followed behind, making sure she was the last one from the room. "I can introduce you to Judy, who can then introduce you to the intricacies of dispatch," Ray's voice trailed down the hall.

"You really shouldn't let her leave without getting her number," Nick told Greg, once the group had filed away, leaning with both hands on the table.

Greg turned to him, an annoyed look on his face. "Why, so you can sleep with her? I really don't think she came here to get hit on."

"Dude, it's a pop-fly hit right up to you and all you have to do is put your mitt up and catch it," Nick said, choosing to ignore Greg's dig. He watched as a small smile toyed on Greg's lips. "Easy. Go. Go now."

Greg grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, darting out of the room, catching the woman just as the group was disappearing around the corner.

He tapped her on the shoulder. "Hi," he said giddily, a big smile on his face. "I'm not trying to be pushy or anything, but I was just thinking if you really want to know more about the lab maybe you could give me your number and we could go out sometime, talk about it."

She toyed her finger on her chin coyly. "Well, normally I wouldn't," she said slowly. "But who could be safer then a cop?" She shrugged. "Plus, you seem really nice. Why not?"

Greg handed her the paper and she jotted down the number.

"Aren't you dating Easton Mead though?"

The smile dropped off Greg's face as he took the paper back from her. "Uh no, not anymore." He looked down at the scrawled numbers with her name and fluttered it in front of him, quickly putting the smile back on his face before she inquired more about Easton. "Thanks Ellen, I'll call you," he called after her as she disappeared to find the rest of the group.


	14. Chapter 14

"You don't waste much time, do you?"

Greg leaned on the restaurant table, careful not to knock his martini glass over. Ellen Whitebridge was so different from Easton, and in his state of mind, it made her tantalizing. She sat across from him, clad in a low-cut crimson dress, her cascading black hair making her skin look milky, and soft and oh so inviting.

"Did I call too soon?" he queried.

She fussed the olive in her own martini. "I hadn't even gotten home yet." Resting her elbows on the table she tilted forward slightly. "But I'm glad you did."

"I was surprised you were available." He smiled at her.

"I'd pretty much given up on the dating scene," she mulled, ringing a finger around the stem of her glass. "It was too painful." She lifted the glass to her lips, taking a nip.

Greg just dipped his head, looking down at the table. He hadn't been on the dating scene since before Easton, and he didn't remember it being quite as painful as what he was dealing with now. He silently prayed she wouldn't ask why he was suddenly thrust back into this world that after four years of being out of it felt so bizarre. If he focused hard enough on her face she would shape-shift into Easton right before his eyes.

Ellen inhaled deeply, giving him a coy smile. "I feel wicked. I never drink on a school night." She brushed a piece of ebony hair off her face. "Actually, I hardly ever drink at all." Taking another sip, she added, " good thing I took the bus."

Greg made a face. "You don't have a car?"

"School teacher's salary," she explained with a shake of her head. "I figure if it's good enough for my students, it's good enough for me."

This girl was just turning out too good to be true. "I'm sure you're students must love you."

Her cheeks flushed. "Well, I don't know about that. But I bet they'd get a kick out of a visit from a real scientist."

Greg couldn't help but smile as he felt some of the tautness he'd been sustaining for months melt from his shoulders. He'd been hesitant about getting involved with someone, considering he still couldn't sort out how he felt about Easton and there was still a chance the baby was his, but the more he chatted with Ellen, the more he realized this may have been the best decision he'd made in awhile.

"I'd be honoured," he told her, trying to keep the wattage of his grin down. He raised his glass and she did the same. "To your students," he said as they clinked the drinks together. As he took a mouthful, he stared at her over the rim of his glass.

"Another toast," she proposed, raising her glass again.

"Alright."

"To us."

"To us," he repeated. As they toasted this time he spilt a bit of his drink out of his glass and they both laughed.

The rest of the night seemed to whiz by, their conversation flowing from one topic to the next, Greg almost completely forgetting about his crumbling life. Before he realized they were the only two people left in the restaurant, the staff standing patiently against the back wall as they finished off what felt like their tenth martini.

"They're going to kick us out soon," he told her.

"Well, we're the last ones here."

"Alright, well we should probably go." He gulped the last of his drink down as she stood from her seat and stretched. He looked at her through his glass, revelling in how her body filled the hour glass shape beautifully.

Following her outside, they paused just in front of the restaurant door, him taking her hands in his, a chill travelling his spine at the pleasant and almost frightening touch of another woman.

"It's getting cold out," he observed. "And I'm not letting you ride the bus. Let's share a cab."

"Ok."

He felt like a grinning fool, but he couldn't help it. "I don't want this night to end."

She gave him a seductive look, raising her hands up to wrap them around his neck. "Well, it doesn't have to." With that she brought her lips to his and he closed his eyes, feeling her mouth touch his as she kissed him slowly. As much as his mind was telling him it may be a little too soon to be with someone, his libido, along with the alcohol had already kicked into overdrive and he willing followed her into the cab.


	15. Chapter 15

"Easton!"

Easton stopped walking and spun around to see Nick coming down the hall of the lab toward her. As he came near, he went to hug and kiss her but stopped short, instead giving her an awkward pat on the shoulder and a forced smile. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the lab on them.

"What are you doing here? Everything OK?" Nick asked, the gaucheness obvious on his face. When he came by the apartment his face was always plastered with an open smile, but now it seemed almost painful for him to be talking to her. She didn't blame him, she knew the feeling.

"Yeah, I uh, um," she glanced around, figuring telling him the truth was the best. She was done with lying. "I uh, came to see if Greg will talk to me." She pretended not to notice the disenchantment cross his rugged features.

"I can take you to him, I was just headed that way," Hodges interrupted, suddenly appearing over Easton's shoulder.

Easton reached out and squeezed Nick's hand before she followed Hodges down the corridor to the office she knew so well.

"You have another visitor," Hodges announced as he stepped aside to allow Easton into the room.

She stopped on her toes when she realized Greg wasn't alone. A inky haired, elegantly beautiful woman sat across the desk from him, a homemade picnic spread on the surface between them.

"Easton," Greg breathed, quickly setting his champagne flute full of sparkling cider down, almost as if he were embarrassed.

The woman glanced over her shoulder, her eyes briefly flicking down to Easton's eight-month swollen mound beneath her Alexander Wang tank dress, before standing up with a smile across her timeless face.

"Uh, Ellen, this is…" Greg began, fumbling to stand from his seat.

"Easton Mead needs no introduction," Ellen finished, rising as well. She held her hand out and Easton limply shook it, trying to find her voice.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you had company," Easton muttered quickly. Keeping her gaze on the linoleum, she backed from the room, moving as fast as her tan leather Frye boots would take her. Just as she reached the doors that led out to the parking lot, she felt a hand grab her wrist and stop her in her tracks.

"Easton." Greg's voice didn't sound like his own and the pain refreshed itself all over again because she was the one who had changed him.

He gingerly shoved her so that she continued through the doors and out into the cooling Vegas night.

"Greg, it's OK." She didn't want to turn and face him fully. "It's your right to move on. Sorry I interrupted."

"Why are you here, East?"

"I wanted to talk to you. I just… I just wanted to see you, even though I know I don't have the right to anymore." She could feel tears sticking to her lashes.

"No, you don't." His voice had a hardness to it, a sharp edge that cut Easton to the core, yet when she finally looked up at him, his eyes shimmered with tears. "But that doesn't mean I'm not happy you came." He stared at her until she looked him in the eye.

Easton didn't move a muscle, yet Greg took a few steps toward her until she could almost taste his scent as it flooded her nostrils. Why would he want to be this close to her when she knew he hated her so much?

He was slightly taller then her, even in her boots, so she rose up onto her toes and put her hands on his shoulders. He didn't move away. He put his hands on either side of her face, and the world fell away. She had never been so lost in a kiss before.

And then, the space between them exploded. Her heart kept missing beats and her hands couldn't bring him close enough to her. She tasted him, and she realized she'd been starving for him. She'd kissed him before, but it never burned her alive.

Maybe it lasted a minute, maybe it was an hour. All Easton knew was this kiss, and how smooth his skin was when it brushed against hers, was that even though she thought she knew all along, she needed to spend forever with him and it was too late.


	16. Chapter 16

Greg had never felt so befuddled in his entire life. Here, standing before him, heavily pregnant with a child that may be his, was the girl of his dreams, the one he used to go to bed praying about in high school, the one who, before Easton walked into his life, he didn't think he ever had a chance with. She was what every guy wanted, intricately beautiful, blond, blue eyed, funny, out-going and had a killer body. She was the girl in school that would giggle as he walked by, calling him a nerd, a stupid gamer, the one who, before her, wouldn't even give him the time of day.

But sitting in his office right now, he had another version of the girl of his dreams, a version so different, he wanted to know it so much more. Ellen was sweet and a whole new terrain to discover, and Greg wasn't sure he was ready to give up the expedition so easily just because Easton decided it was time to be back in his life.

"What am I thinking about if I'm not thinking about you, East?" Greg asked, staring at the face he'd spent so many hours admiring. "Nothing. Because I can't think of anything besides you."

Easton ignored the curious stares of the lab employees and police officers coming in and out of the building around them, her gaze feeling like it was burning a hole in his heart. "Greg, I…"

"What am I feeling if my heart doesn't feel the truth that I'm still _so_ in love with you?" he went on. "You gave me a love I'd never known before, it put a strangle hold on me. You really made me believe you were my everything. You were the air that I breathed, East."

"I still want to be your everything, Greg," she said softly. She tugged at the lapels of the silvery-grey suit jacket he was wearing, her scent surrounding him. "You don't know how badly I want to be."

"Easton, I thought I would give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant being with you for the rest of my life." He clasped both her hands in his, lifting them from where they felt like they would eat him alive if he let her inebriating skin touch him any longer. "And you know what? I did give it up, _all_ of it."

"I uh…" She fell silent, Greg ignoring the wounded expression on her face at the fact that he had pushed her away from him, even though every fibre in his body was screaming at him not to.

He leaned in and gently pecked her cheek, trying hard not to let the simple taste of her skin swallow him whole. Resting his hand briefly on her belly, he managed to look into her eyes without crumbling to pieces. "I can't do this anymore. I'll always love you and care for you, but I need you to stay away from me."

Spinning on his heel, he made his way back into the building, feeling like time was going in slow motion, feeling like he had just literally ripped his heart from his chest and left it beating in her hands. Swallowing the tears that were forcing their way up his throat, he inhaled deeply, fighting everything not to turn back around and run back to her.

He didn't know how far it was going to go with Ellen, in fact, at the moment, he didn't really care. All he knew was that after being scarred so badly, he needed to stay away from the drug that was Easton, before his addiction was the only thing that was keeping him alive.


	17. Chapter 17

An incessant, high-pitched ringing woke Nick up with a start, and he rolled over in his bed, shoving the down-filled pillow over his head in attempts to block out the annoying sound.

"Who calls this early?" he grumbled to the empty room, glancing at the clock. He'd been home from his shift for an hour and had only accumulated about ten minutes of sleep since Easton seemed to haunt his every thought. Besides, he was too lazy to reach for the cordless extension that was on his bedside table.

"Hi, you reached Nick, you know what to do," his own muffled recorded voice sounded from the living room, followed by a loud beep.

"Nick. Uh, hey, it's Greg," his co-workers hesitant voice came over the machine. "Listen, I think we both know I don't really want to be talking to you, but I was just wondering if Easton was with you. She never showed up for…"

"Greg, hey, I'm here, sorry," Nick interrupted, finally picking up. "What's wrong with Easton?"

Greg sighed, seeming almost annoyed with Nick's concern. "She never showed up for the baby shower Raleigh and her students were hosting for her at the studio this morning, so I was just wondering if you'd heard from her or seen her. Her mom called saying she's not at the apartment, and she's not answering her cell."

Nick had seen her last night, that was for sure. He'd shamefully watched her and Greg outside the building, watched them kiss, watched the pain scrawl across her face when he'd rejected her, but as much as he racked his brain he couldn't remember if he'd actually seen her Porsche Cayenne leave the lot. It wasn't like her to just completely cut off contact. On instinct he was up out of the bed, clumsily pulling on the clothes he'd been wearing last night that were still on the floor while still trying to keep the phone to his ear.

"Listen Greg, get Brass to put a tag on her car," he started ranting, desperate to try and remember where he'd tossed his keys when he'd dragged himself home last night.

"Already ahead of you, her phone's being tracked too." Nick suddenly realized Greg's voice was taking on the same panic tremor he knew was likely evident in his own.

Finally locating the keys in one of his sneakers near the front door, Nick was outside and climbing into his vehicle.

"Listen Greg, we'll find her."

He was met with only the droning sound of the dial tone. Greg had already hung up.


End file.
